1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to cooling devices for liquids. Particularly to cooling devices which are designed to cool bottled, or similarly containered, liquids in a batch fashion,
2. Description of the Related Art
Current military operations of the United States are highlighting a problem for workers in arid desert environments. That is, maintaining hydration on extended operations. In high temperatures, especially while wearing heavy equipment and performing physical activity, it is necessary for the human body to take in enough water to prevent dehydration, heat stroke, and other potentially dangerous, and even fatal, heat related conditions. For soldiers operating in these types of environments, this can be a particular problem as they may need to transport significant amounts of water with them and may only have a relatively small vehicle. The problem is not, however, isolated to soldiers. Construction workers, aid and relief workers, and other individuals working or living in these environments can also have similar problems remaining hydrated.
It is recommended that a person consume about one liter of water a day under normal conditions and up to 12 liters of water a day when involved in activities in hot environments. While scientific studies of the lower end of this consumption are not clear as its exact amount, in hot environments one liter every three hours does seem to be a reasonable position. For the most part, transport of water to be drunk has not proven to be a huge problem although in hot environments where there are a number of people needing water can be large. However, getting individuals to drink the water has been problematic. Water will generally heat up when exposed to the elements relatively quickly and the basic transport of water generally results in water which is relatively close to the outside temperature when it is dispensed. While this water can meet the needs of hydration, it is often unpalatable to those drinking it and they may not drink it simply because they do not like the taste and temperature. This can result in individuals suffering from heat related problems even though the prevention is readily available.
It has been recognized that water does not need to be cold to be palatable, but need only be cooler than the outside temperature by a measurable amount. Often this is around 40 degrees less than the ambient temperature. At the same time, individuals are much more likely to drink colder water in hot environments if it is available, than they are to drink warmer water in the same environment. Simply because the colder water is more palatable.
In order to insure that individuals working in these environments stay hydrated, it is desirable to provide chilled water, or other beverages as appropriate, to make sure that the individuals have incentive to remain hydrated. This has, however, been problematic as coolers, refrigerators, and other cooling devices have traditionally relied on cooling their entire contents at the same time.
This can lead to undesirable, and unattainable, power requirements for cooling for groups which are based on-board vehicles or otherwise isolated from power infrastructures.